Hulk Hogan, Ronda Rousey, Lionel Messi (!): the 15 WWE 2K18 creations you have to download right now

WWE 2K18 is among this year’s most divisive sports games, but one area where it pips all rivals is Community Creations. This online service enables you to download wrestlers made by other supremely dedicated wrestling fans, thereby filling in gaps from the current WWE roster, or creating a custom catalogue of ECW, WCW and TNA bruisers.

With 100 slots to fill and thousands of fan-made grapplers to choose from, it can take time to sort the elite from the excruciating – so GR+ has done the hard work for you. Below are 15 of the best ‘CAWs’ I’ve found during my hours spent with the PS4 version of the game, incorporating a couple of familiar faces from the ‘90s, some budding NXT talents, and one slightly more unconventional non-wrestling megastar…

CM Punk

Inevitably, there are numerous Punks to choose from on the Community Creations servers – but raiee86’s take on the pipebomb-spouting Chicagoan tops the lot. Make the most of having him in-game, as he won’t be returning to a real ring any time soon.

Mandy Rose

MrHellInBoots can lay claim to being the most proficient CAW-maker going when it comes to female superstars. His versions of Tessa Blanchard, Bianca Belair, Zelina Vega and Sonya Deville should all be immediately added to your roster. Best of all is Rose, and her inclusion couldn’t be more timely – along with Deville, she’s just been called up to Monday Night Raw.

Hulk Hogan

The Hulkster was rightly exiled from WWE two years ago after being caught on tape making racist remarks, but rumours abound of a comeback in 2018 – likely around WrestleMania time. Talented creators have pre-empted this possible return with a number of in-game doppelgangers, of which DrGorillaNuts’ red-and-yellow incarnation trumps all.

Andrade 'Cien' Almas

PH_Guy is forging a reputation as one of the most talented creators around – and the reigning NXT Champion represents his best work. In addition to Almas, his other essential downloads include Pete Dunne, Ariya Daivari, Cezar Bononi and Mustafa Ali.

AJ Lee

For the second year in a row this three-time WWE Divas Champion features on our list of essential downloads, with SOLID-SNAKE618 claiming credit. Lee, like husband Punk, left the company on cloudy terms in 2015, and is therefore unlikely to again feature in a 2K game as a licensed character.

Kairi Sane

The first Kairi Sane uploaded to Community Creations back in October has now amassed 35,000 downloads – but you need to look a bit deeper to find her most realistic likeness. Step forward III-A-N-T-I-III, who has created the Japanese fighter sporting both her current NXT treads, and previous World Wonder Ring Stardom garb.

Ted DiBiase

One of the big head-scratchers relating to the WWE 2K18 roster is Million Dollar Man’s status: for the second year in a row he’s included, but only as a non-playable manager. While no explanation for this has been offered by 2K, DrGorillaNuts has taken matters into his own hands, carving an unofficial likeness almost as detailed as his real one.

Ronda Rousey

With close friend Shayne Baysler now learning the ropes at developmental territory NXT, it can only be a matter of time before UFC’s most famous female star partakes in a choreographed match or two. She’s decked company CBO Stephanie McMahon once before – in a skit at WrestleMania 31 – and NBThriller13’s creation enables you to see how she’d fare in a full-length bout.